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Is you are into miniatures Games, Jester's Playhouse is the place for you. We run leagues and tournaments for a large number of miniatures games. If you want to see what is coming up check our our event calendars! Click Here

Miniatures Articles:

The Do's and Don'ts of an Army List.
Painting Tips (Beginner Level)
Painting Tips (Intermediate Level)
Painting Tips (Advanced Level)
Painting Tips (Finishing the Figure)
Conversions

The Do's and Don'ts of an Army List.
by Rich Gain

Since our store championship is approaching really fast, I thought it might be
useful to give some tips on how to write an Army List.
1. Be Creative: When writing an army list approach it like you would an essay in school. An army list should have a beginning, a body, and an end. The army list is one of the primary areas in which the composition score is taken. If your list is unique it will stand out. Some ways to do this is by using different materials (parchment, red ink for blood, animal hide, or even a stone slab.) Other ways of standing out include using an official imperial document format, or making it into a narrative in the language or supposed language of your race i.e.. using "dakka" a lot in an orky list.)
2. Everybody likes a good story: Don't write a story for a story's sake. Make the story coincide with your army. Carry the story through in your army construction, painting, and modeling. Don't use a story to justify a
"cheesy" army construction. It is really easy to tell when this is done.
3. Get to the point: When judges are looking at army lists, they usually have a lot to look at. Don't write a novel, a page is just as effective. When it comes to writing the actual list, the judge really doesn't need your army stats, just the names of units, characters, their equipment and points. Include a breakdown of points spent in characters, wargear, magic items , etc. with their percentages is mandatory.
4. Take your time: Rushing your list will cost you points. Spelling errors, point total errors, poor arrangement and organization are all areas that will show through. A judge is not going to grade you like an English teacher, but will think you were careless.
5. Make it exciting: This is creativity. Use of graphics and borders, appropriate fonts and backgrounds will make your list pleasing to the eye. For graphics you best source is the Internet. If you are using any of the current browsers, you should have no problem. A simple click on a picture will download it. If you know
someone or have a scanner yourself, the rulebooks and supplements for the game are excellent for graphics. Be careful not to use to much.
I hope these considerations have helped you. If you plan on going to Games Workshop's Grand Tournament, playing in our championship or leagues, than the extra points in composition could make the difference. The miniatures hobby is mainly about toy soldiers, but it is usually the stories that stick out in people's mind.

Painting Tips (Beginner Level)
by Rich Gain

This is the first in a series of painting tips. It is intended for beginning level painters, but even the most experienced painter could gain some insight. When you first take your figure out of the packaging, look over the figure. Check it for mold lines (the small lines that occur where the molds meet). Take your hobby knife, simply scrape the edge with the blade at a 90 degree angle. Be careful not to dig into the figure. I try to use a dull knife for this because you are just scraping, not really cutting. Check the figure also for flash (excess
metal that is due to vents and sprue connections). These will appear as large chunks of metal or plastic. Using a pair of nippers or a sharp knife, clean these also.

Once the figure is cleaned you are almost ready to start painting. If the figure is made of either plastic or resin, you should wash it. Plastic figures some times have an oily residue on them. The best way to remove this is to wash them in vinegar. Resin models usually have a fine dust on them. The easiest way to remove this is to wash them in soap and water. Once the figures are cleaned and washed, you are ready to prime the models.

You should use a primer specifically made for miniature figures. Choosing the right color for the primer is a matter of taste. Generally, if most of you figures are going to be light in color (reds and yellows) use white primer. For darker figures use black primer. I personally use black, but for beginners white is easier. You should prime the figure in an open area with good ventilation. Spray about 12" away and use multiple light coats, rather then one heavy coat. Usually spray one area, let it dry and turn the figure over. I usually try to prime from a couple of different directions. Now, you are finally ready to paint.

The first step in painting is basecoats. You first have to decide what your colors are. When you paint a figure, start as if you were getting dressed. This means the first area to start is the birthday suit, the skin. Start with the basic flesh tone of the race that you are painting. When putting paint on a brush, make sure the brush is moist before you put any paint on it. This helps the paint slide off the brush. Do not get any paint into the small metal area above the bristles. The paint will dry in there and spread the brush out. Putting multiple thin coats is better than a thick coat.

Follow this up with a wash (a thinned downed version of a paint) of a darker color. If you are using one of the Citadel inks, make sure you thin it down also. If you are painting human flesh, the flesh wash from Citadel is excellent. Let the wash dry thoroughly before proceeding. The next step is to dry brush the base color.

Dry brushing is a tricky process if you haven't done it yet. To dry brush, take an old brush or a Dry brush (a brush made for this process) and put a tiny amount of paint on the brush. Take a paper towel and wipe the paint off until the brush looks dry and very little paint comes off. Rub the brush in a downward motion. This should lighten the areas that stick out and would catch the light. After using the base coat color, find a color that is lighter, but the same tone. For example, for human flesh you would use elf flesh for this highlight.
Dry brush this color on the same way, using a lighter stroke then before. Repeat this for the other colors working out.

These are some basic tips. We will have a more in-depth description in future articles. If you want to see any of these techniques in action, just ask one of us at the store.

Painting Tips (Intermediate Level)
by Rich Gain

Washing and Dry brushing
I touched a little on the concept of dry brushing and washing in the last article. What I would like to do in this article is to describe it in more detail and include some reference for those who want to experiment with these techniques. The reason one needs to add shading and highlights to a miniature figure is that they are too small to make their own shadows which gives them a lifelike feel. A wash is simply a thinned down version of a regular paint. Games Workshop and other paint manufacturers make premixed versions.

In Games Workshop's case these are called inks. Inks differ from washes in that the are thicker then a wash is supposed to be. Put a few drops of the ink in a mixing tray and add water on a 2-1 basis. This is actually a wash. Whether you make your own or buy a pre-made wash, the end result should be an almost transparent color a slight shade darker than your base coat. Finding the right wash for the base color is not too hard, but different colors will produce different results. Below is a chart for the basic colors along with the Citadel Inks..

Color Wash (Ink)
Black None
White Any (see article)
Red Dark Red (Chestnut or Red)
Green Dark Green (Dark Green)
Yellow Deep Yellow or Orange (Yellow)
Blue Dark Blue (Blue)
Brown Dark Brown/Black (Brown/Black)
Silver Black (Black)
Gold Brown (Chestnut)

These colors are pretty evident but it is important to use a tiny bit of the color. If you use too much you will get watermarks. If you ink doesn't match the color, it could make the base color look dirty. If you are looking
for a dirty, worn look, this is fine. Learning the proper colors sometimes is hit or miss. As noted in the chart white is different than other colors. The reason this is, is that white can be shaded with most light colors. For example, if you want a cold look you could shade with light blue, a bright look you could use yellow.
Try to determine the look before deciding on the wash you are going to use. Experimenting with different
washes helps you learn.

When I was going to paint a Skeleton figures from "Games Workshop," I was looking for some unique looks. I began with thin base coats of "Bleached Bone." After this was dry, I washed each figure with a different wash. I then looked at each to see which effect was closer to what I wanted. I chose the one that I washed with a yellow wash followed by a brown wash. Some of the other effects that looked good was a red wash, which gave it a fresh kill look.

Experimenting with new concepts is how you break out of the normal and make your figures your own. For example, a way to make your reds look different is by using a purple wash. It won't dull out the red as much as a red/brown wash would A more experienced painter uses a technique which is called shading for the shadow effects that washing produces. I use this technique, but for any metallic washing is the best way to bring out the details in metal armor and ornaments. Washing is also very useful for fur along with dry brushing.

This brings us to dry brushing. Washing makes a figure darker, dry brushing makes the figure lighter. When deciding what colors to use for dry brushing you go in the opposite direction of washing. You use a lighter shade of the basic color. If you have a large selection of paints you might have a color that is lighter in the palate. If you don't you can always mix your own. When mixing highlights for reds, oranges and greens you should use a yellow to lighten the color. For blues and black you should use white. For browns you can either use yellow, or, if you have it, a tan or bone color.

The actual technique of dry brushing is hard to describe. You put a small amount of paint on the brush. Then use a cloth and wipe a significant amount of paint off. The brush should appear dry. This technique is not brush friendly, so use an old brush or a brush made especially for this. I usually test the brush on the edge of my hand. If anything but a dusting of paint is left on your hand, you have too much on your brush. If the brush feels in anyway wet, your brush is not dry enough.

When your brush is ready, begin by lightly painting in a downward direction. This should catch the edges and create the illusion of light on the figure. Dry brushing can be done in stages with each stage the color should be lighter along with the pressure on the brush. I usually start dry brushing with the base color and then do 2 lighter shades on top of that. When the dry brushing is finished your figure is almost done.

Sometimes the areas that were dry brushed look a little chalky. To eliminate this problem, you can make a thin wash of the base coat and lightly paint it to blend the dry brush. I should warn you that dry brushing should not be used on flat areas like Space Marine power armor. You should use a technique called highlighting which will be the topic of my next article.

Painting Tips (Advanced Level)
by Rich Gain

Highlighting and Shading
Highlighting and shading are the most advanced techniques for producing high quality painted miniatures. They build off the two previous articles that I wrote, so I hope you were paying attention. As I wrote before, miniatures are too small to produce their own lighting. The simplest method to achieve lighting on a figure is washing and dry brushing. The wash seeps into the cracks and produces deep recesses. This method is effective but very messy.

The method used by most professional miniature painters is a process called shading. The shading process begins usually with a black basecoat. From here you apply a darker shade of your desired color. You must make sure that you paint is thin when doing shading and highlighting, because by the time your done, you will probably have 5-6 layers of paint on your miniature. I make a habit of cleaning my brush often. This insures proper paint flow and keeps the paint thin.

From the darker base, you now follow a process called highlighting. The next few steps are the same except you colors get lighter and you strokes get thinner. After the dark base is dry, use a lighter shade to paint all areas that protrude from the area. Some times with shades of red and yellow this will involve multiple coats just to see any lightening. If a lot of the area you are painting is going to be red or yellow, you should base coat the area first with white or yellow, and then apply the dark base. Over black these colors just do not come out right unless you are looking for a crimson or dark red.

After applying each successive layer you should make you brush strokes smaller. The key to proper highlighting is to use lines. The thinner the lines the better. If you need to lighten a large area, still work in lines, but connect them. This line technique is very important to achieve proper highlighting. With each change in color, you should be moving closer to the edge of the area. If you have a large paint selection or don't mind mixing colors often, you can use and unlimited amount of colors to blend from dark to light. Generally I use about 3 shades to achieve this result, but I use thin paint so the colors blend into each other. At the very edge you will need a very thin brush with a sharp point. The length of the brush should not be too short or else the tip will not be small enough.

The final highlight should be a hair width in most cases. Finishing the figure might require the use of a glaze to make the blending look smoother. A glaze is similar to a wash or an ink, but should be made from the median color instead of being darker. Mix the color with a matt medium and then thin with water (about 2-1). The glaze is brushed lightly over the area and allows the colors to merge. This allows for variations in the highlight colors. This is the basic technique for shading and highlighting.

It might sound easy, but the execution is tedious and frustrating the first time you do it. It gets easier, trust me! I was told once by an experienced painter to start by taking 1 figure and working on it until it was perfect. Once you do this, you have trained yourself to do it and it gets easier.

The best way to put this all into perspective is to go step by step describing how I would paint a figure. I will be using Citadel paint names, so you will have to adapt it based on the paints you use (unless you use oil based paints, then you're beat). Go buy some real paint and follow along. For my figure I will use an Ork (imagine that) and paint the orky flesh tones.

I start first by giving the model a good basecoat of black. I start on the fleshy bits by giving them a coat of Snot Green. While doing this I don't just splash paint on it. I carefully paint the green on, leaving the deepest recesses black. The next shade I use is Goblin Green. I paint this in thin lines on the cheek bones, the nose and the overhanging brow ridge. I also do this to the fingers and back of the hand following the natural lines that exist. For most highlighting, all you have to do is follow the lines, they exist on most good miniatures. If you have doubts where highlights should go, hold the figure up to a light. See where its lighter, that's where you highlight.

The next color I use is a mix of my own. It is part Goblin Green and part Rotting Flesh. I used an empty bottle to mix this color, because I thought I would be using it often and because there wasn't a color in the Citadel range that filled in between Rotting Flesh and Goblin Green. Mixing your own colors in large quantities is a good idea if you are using a specific color many times in your army's theme. The Goblin/Rotting Flesh mix is applied only to the tip of the nose, the very edge of the cheeks and brow and the knuckles of the hand.

After this dries, I apply a light glaze of green to the flesh. This smoothes the texture and blends the colors. Repeat these steps a few hundred times and you will have half your Ork army painted. What are those green dots in front of my face? The best way to conquer this technique is to see it in action. Stop by the store and I will help you out. Next month I will discuss finishing the figure and base.

Painting Tips (Finishing the Figure)
by Rich Gain

In the past three articles we went step by step showing how to paint miniatures. The one area most people skimp on is the base of the model. I have seen beautifully painted models with a a plain black base. The base is just as much a part of the figure as the rest. In order to have a finished figure take some time to complete it.

The basics of basing figures start with what you base the figure with. In the case of the Games Workshop and a few other lines, the base consist of a plastic base with a slot that you put the figure on. These bases are the best to work with. You have a large area on which to create. The key thing with slotted bases is to fill the slots. You could use putty or white glue or anything else that will make a flat surface to start with. For other figure lines that do not provide bases like Reaper, Ral Partha, etc., you should probably construct a base. For human sized figures, fender washers make great bases. These can be obtained from hardware stores or auto supply places. They make a good sturdy base and prevent the figure from toppling. You could also use the plastic bases that are available. For larger figures it is more important to have a large base that keeps it
from toppling. There is nothing more annoying then having a dragon you spent weeks painting, lose a wing because it fell over due to a small base or none at all.

For these pieces wood makes a great choice. Most hobby stores sell Bass Wood which is a hard wood that is durable and thin. Do not use the Balsa wood! Many craft stores also sell finished wood bases that are perfect, especially for a painting contest entry. Another option is to use the large plastic bases connected together by putty or glue. Thick card or plastic card would also work. Some people use chunks of slate, rocks, or foam. These materials make a great base to start the detailing.

Attaching the figure to the base can be difficult. With slotted bases, I usually give a slight twisted to the metal sprue that goes in the slot. This will wedge it in. For metal to metal use your superglue or zap. For metal to wood or stone, an epoxy works really well. If the attached area is large enough, you could drill it and use a metal pin to secure it. For foam, the best way to go is epoxy or hot glue, though both don't work as well as I would like them to.

The easiest way to finish your base is to coat it in a mix of white glue and water (about 50-50). Then dip the base in flock. Flock is made of either foam or sawdust, and is either green or brown. Immediately after dipping the base in flock, brush off any areas that you don't want flock. You could stop here, but your wasting a lot of opportunity to make your figures look unique. Flock is the first step to making each base its own little piece of landscape.

Using various colors of flock, like those available from Gale Force Nine, you could create swamp terrain, trails or other terrain effects. Add some small pebbles and some tall grass to create some variety. Grass is nice if you are doing historical minis, but with fantasy and sci-fi there are so much more you could do. Clay works well to make a stone floor. Cut lines in it, paint it grey and throw some skulls and old weapons on it. Those little bits that you can not use elsewhere make great add-ons for your bases. You could use small rocks to create a volcanic world. You could do almost anything. When it comes to the bigger bases for dragons and such, have fun creating landscapes. Don't skimp on your bases, they are just the thing to make a good paint job great. If you want some help putting the finishing touches on you bases just ask.

Conversions
by Rich Gain

With the release of the New Ork Codex and models and the up coming Gorkamorka league cpnversions are in the air. I wanted to give some tips to all you future Dr. Frankensteins. There are two types of conversion: simple and complex. A simple conversion is one where only part of the model like a weapon is replaced. This can be done by using a a hobby knife. These involve little time and effort. A complex conversion takes a few more tools then the simple conversion.

Some of the tools that you need are: a hobby knife, a small saw blade, a pin vise (a small hand drill), greenstuff (epoxy putty), some paperclips, and a pair of clippers. Complex conversions usually involve replacing large sections of a figure. It could be a new head, a new torso, or limbs. It also involves adding features that don't exist on the initial figure like tentacles, new armor and wings.

One of the key techniques for a complex conversion is pinning. Pinning consists of using the pin vise with a small drill bit to make a hole in each side of the areas being joined. The whole should be deep enough to allow a pin made from paperclips to sit in about a 1/8th of an inch. This pin is glued in to strengthen the joint and keep it from falling apart. With this technique you can attach anything anywhere.

The big question about conversions is why convert figures. There are many reasons to convert. The usual reason is there just isn't a figure for the model you want. If you want Horus leading your Chaos army, there is only one way to convert it! Another reason you might want to convert is to make your own special character. Using Repanse De Lyonese for Helga Bonecrusher just isn't the right way to go. The final reason to convert is because you are insane and demented. For an example of this see Sean Flynn.

Once you have figured out the reason, then its time to find the bits to do it. This is where the "bits box" comes in. For more on this, also see Sean Flynn. The bits box is where all those parts you didn't use go. It's also the first place to look when its conversion time. Once the parts are assembled, dry fit them to make sure they work. In a lot of cases the parts don't fit just like you want them, that's where you call on the mighty power of green stuff.

Green stuff is a two part epoxy that contains within in it the essence of life. When the yellow part is mixed with equal parts of the blue, you get the stuff of creation. This is the actual material that figure sculptors use to make an original. This stuff does wonders to cover up gaps, imperfections or the occasional too much filing. Green stuff can be sculpted using the back edge of your hobby knife or if you really want to get fancy, a dentist pick works really well. For items that need a sharp edge, like armor and weapons, there is a better substance known by the highly technical name "Brown Stuff (can you guess what color it is?)."

The true test for a good conversion comes when you give it a first primer coat. If you are unsure how a conversion looks, give it a coat of primer. If it look OK then paint it up. If not, try some more green stuff. Just because a figure is already painted doesn't mean you can't change it. Have fun creating life and keep sacrificing to the gods of the bits box, your figures will appreciate it!